Christie, the Kings Servant | Page 3

and all
hard at work at their easels.
Yes, it was certainly a picturesque place, and I was glad that I had
come. The colouring was charming: there was red rock in the
background, here and there covered with grass, and ablaze with flowers.
Wild roses and poppies, pink-thrift and white daisies, all contributed to
make the old rock gay. But the yellow ragwort was all over; great
patches of it grew even on the margin of the sand, and its bright flowers
gave the whole place a golden colouring. There seemed to be yellow
everywhere, and the red-tiled cottages, and the fishermen in their blue
jerseys, and the countless flights of steps, all appeared to be framed in
the brightest gilt.
Yes, I felt sure I should find something to paint in Runswick Bay. I was
not disappointed in Tom's choice for me.

[Illustration]
Chapter II

LITTLE JOHN
After admiring the beauties of my new surroundings for some little
time, I felt that I must begin to look for quarters. I was anxious, if
possible, to find a lodging in one of the cottages, and then, after a good
night's rest, I would carefully select a good subject for my picture. I
called at several houses, where I noticed a card in the window
announcing Apartments to Let, but I met the same answer everywhere,
'Full, sir, quite full.' In one place I was offered a bed in the kitchen, but
the whole place smelt so strongly of fried herrings and of fish oil, that I
felt it would be far more pleasant to sleep on the beach than to attempt
to do so in that close and unwholesome atmosphere.
After wandering up and down for some time, I passed a house close to
the village green, and saw the children with whom I had travelled
sitting at tea close to the open window. They, too, were eating herrings,
and the smell made me hungry. I began to feel that it was time I had
something to eat, and I thought my best plan would be to retrace my
steps to the hotel which I had passed on my way, and which stood at
the very top of the high cliff. I turned a little lazy when I thought of the
climb, for I was tired with my journey, and, as I said before, I was not
very strong, and to drag my bag and easel up the rugged ascent would
require a mighty effort at the best of times. I noticed that wooden
benches had been placed here and there on the different platforms of
the rock, for the convenience of the fishermen, and I determined to rest
for a quarter of an hour on one of them before retracing my steps up the
steep hill to the hotel. The fishermen were filling most of the seats,
sitting side by side, row after row of them, talking together, and
looking down at the beach below. As I gazed up at them, they looked to
me like so many blue birds perched on the steep rock.
There was one seat in a quiet corner which I noticed was empty. I went
to it, and laying my knapsack and other belongings beside me, I sat
down to rest.
But I was not long to remain alone. A minute afterwards a young
fisherman, dressed like his mates in blue jersey and oilskin cap, planted
himself on the other end of the seat which I had selected.

'Good-day, sir,' he said. 'What do you think of our bay?'
'It's a pretty place, very pretty,' I said. 'I like it well enough now, but I
daresay I shall like it better still to-morrow.'
'Better still to-morrow,' he repeated; 'well, it is the better for knowing,
in my opinion, sir, and I ought to know, if any one should, for I've lived
my lifetime here.'
I turned to look at him as he spoke, and I felt at once that I had come
across one of Nature's gentlemen. He was a fine specimen of an honest
English fisherman, with dark eyes and hair, and with a sunny smile on
his weather-beaten, sunburnt face. You had only to look at the man to
feel sure that you could trust him, and that, like Nathanael, there was no
guile in him.
'I wonder if you could help me,' I said; 'I want to find a room here if I
can, but every place seems so full.'
'Yes, it is full, sir, in August; that's the main time here. Let me see,
there's Brown's, they're full, and Robinson's, and Wilson's, and
Thomson's, all full up. There's Giles', they have a room, I believe, but
they're not over clean; maybe you're particular, sir.'
'Well,' I said, 'I do like